In Partnership with the University of Washington Applied Physics Laboratory and Western Washington University
Jellyfish blooms, which are becoming increasingly common in coastal waters, are thought to be a symptom of anthropogenic ocean stress and climate change. Little is currently known about the areal extent of jellyfish populations, and few surveys have been conducted measuring their populations over wide geographic ranges. Visible imaging techniques have been shown to be effective in measuring jellyfish populations, and a survey of jellyfish populations as a function of latitude over an entire ocean basin would help address this issue. This study will use video cameras mounted on the stern of the boat combined with opportunistic tissue sampling and species identification of jellyfish.
